The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-10-27
oor,non;as reoard local

printing offices as very undesirable prop
erty to insure, and the proximity of
printing Office causes an increase IN the
cost of insurance OF adjoining property.
Publishers of papers generally believe
this is due to the boiler and engine; but
this is not true. The increased rate Is
because of the tramp printer and the
printing Office loafer. Lack OF cleanh-
ness also operates to raise the rates. The
tramp and the loafer always smoke and
are as apt to throw the ighthed cigar
stub or the heel" of the pipe where it
will ignite paper as anywhere else. The
tramp printer has no feeling of response
bility, as he knows his days are short at
the case which the mistaken humanity OF
his employer gave him, and he exercises
no caution as he does not care whether the
office burns down or not. The loafer is
still worse as he has time to kill and calls
upon all the resources OF the Office to
assist him. He helps to litter the floor
and to put things out of place and makes
large drafts upon the time of every one
connected with the Office.
Is it not about time something was
done to suppress the tramp printer and
the printing office loafer? Neither re-
fleets credit upon the Office he haunts,
and both waste the time OF those who are
willing to work. 1t is sort OF tradition
in printing offices that tramp who can
set type is to be given employment until
his wants are relieved, or else give him
something as a gratuity. The latter
course is generally followed as the itin-
Grant is constitutionally opposed to
steady or systematic work and usually
does more harm than good, aside from
the bad character he gives the Office
The loafer is the most aggravatlng thing
connected with the printing office,-far
worse than the delinquent subscriber OF
the man who wants to click the editor
for some uncomplimentary alluslon. 1t
is difficult to conceive how the printing
office became a resort for those who ask
their bread from chance" Next to en-.
tering saloon ladies dislike to enter a
printing Office because of the presence of
the loafer Some offices bounce him, but
it is evident from the practice of insur.
ance companies that he is still consider.
ed feature Of the local printing Office
In an adjoining county printing office
| has a foreman who allows a caller few
minutes to get ready to state his business
| IF he shows nc disposition 70 do so IL
| that time he is asked what he wants; an6
! if he proves to be one of the loafer specie!
| he is directed to leave. That office il
wonderfully free from loafers, but while
it saves to the Office the time of its EN-
ployes, it, in common with all local print
ing offices, pays a higher rate Of insur
ance because it is the practice to tolerate
| loafers
Why would it not be good thing t.
take some action upon these evils at the
coming session of the editorial associa
ton? Why not have all the publisher
of papers in the state unite to prevent
the printing Office from being resort foI
the idle and vicious, and an eleemosynary
institution for Jour" tramps whose only
claim to consideration is that they car
stick type but will not? The printing
office has too long been conduted on fret
and easy principles. The publisher Ii
imposed upon and cheated out of spac,
which should be paid for, on the ple'
that what he does is service to tn,
public. His office is turned into a recep
ton room for the indolent, and the tim,
of his employees is taken up by the hang
ers-on. The floor is despatched will
tobacco juice and filthy with cigar stubs
and tobacco ashes. The time of his reg
ular printers is taken up undoing wha
the tramp printer has done. The bust
ness man looks upon the conglomeratior
of filth, foul language, tramp, loafer
printer and publisher, SO lacking il
backbone as to tolerate the medly, will
wonder and very properly thinks loca
newspaper office is kind of play house
"a roller rink affair where all may con
gregate.
Is it any wonder that insurance com
panies demand higher rate for insurin.
printing Office property than other, in
herently no less hazardous? Is it an.
wonder that the publisher of local pa
per is not looked upon as person o
thorough business methods? Need i
occasion surprise that there is in tn
public mind conviction that the atmos
phere of the local printing Office is no
particularly elevating to the moral ton
of the apprentice?
1t is about time something was don
to remedy these eyils which exist becaus
publishers permit them, The best tim
to take action upon these things is at tn
business session of the Publishers Asso
citation. Will President Hoard exercis
some of his good, hard sense in preparin,
! a programme so as to include discus
sion Of these things whose observance
will make the publisher more self-respect
ing?
|
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